Loose Women icon Lynda Bellingham tragically died 10 years ago, but her legacy lives on – here’s a look back at her life and career, including a feud between her husband and sons
Lynda Bellingham is best known for her role as the mother in the long-standing Oxo stock cube adverts, was a beloved figure on British television.
The actress starred in the iconic commercials from 1983 to 1999, before joining the Loose Women panel in April 2007.
She remained a regular feature on the show until 2011, making over 300 appearances, including a final one in 2014 shortly before her tragic death. Lynda passed away on October 19, 2014, after a battle with colorectal cancer, with her husband Michael Pattemore by her side.
Loose Women is planning to pay tribute to the late panellist today (October 16), marking the 10th anniversary of her untimely passing, reports the Mirror.
Jane McDonald, a close friend and former co-star on Loose Women, recently shared that she believes Lynda continues to guide her life in some ways, years after her death.
Jane and Lynda became close friends during their time together on Loose Women from 2004 to 2010, and Jane credits Lynda with giving her other career opportunities.
“So I still think Lynda’s guiding us all in our own ways. Her and I became really, really good friends over the years of Loose Women,” Jane revealed on the White Wine Question Time podcast. “I’ll always be grateful to Lynda for guiding me a little bit.”
Husband’s feud with her sons
Following Lynda’s death, there was a dispute between her husband Michael and her sons over her estate.
The TV personality’s £1.9million estate created quite a stir when her sons, Robbie and Michael, claimed Mr Pattemore had blown “thousands of pounds on lavish holidays and other luxuries”.
Yet in June 2016, High Court documents revealed the estate was actually worth a mere £166,000 and her debts exceeded £1.7million.
By 2017, reports emerged that Michael and Robbie were only going to receive £50,000 each from their mother’s assets. Media coverage at the time suggested they felt “betrayed” by their stepfather.
Reflecting on the estate issues, Lynda’s son Michael said: “It’s a kick in the teeth hearing about his hell when he’s sitting on around £5million of property, much of which was bought with our mum’s money. None of Mum’s family or friends will speak to him now.”
Strictly Come Dancing stint
Lynda’s stint on the celebrity dance show Strictly Come Dancing was during its seventh series in 2009. She was paired up with Darren Bennett, the professional dancer.
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Unfortunately, the duo’s journey on the competition was brief as they bowed out in week four. The season concluded with sports presenter Chris Hollins and pro dancer Ola Jordan claiming victory.
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 12.30pm
